


red planet

by glueskin



Category: World Trigger (Anime & Manga)
Genre: (sort of), Character Study, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:35:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23447116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glueskin/pseuds/glueskin
Summary: hyuse wants to watch the stars. chika has something to make clear.
Relationships: Hyuse & Amatori Chika
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	red planet

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this in 2018 and decided to post it for...no reason in particular. i love world trigger. consider this a missing scene since ashihara never showed us a proper chika and hyuse confrontation when hyuse joined t2....though we did get that epic scene in 179 
> 
> hyuse is one of my favorite characters i am very invested in his dynamic with tamakom branch and t2 specifically and with people he meets at border....growing to care for these people when theyre still enemies (in his mind) and struggling to reconcile that against his loyalty with his home... anyway haha....away mission arc WHEN?

Hyuse can reluctantly admit to himself that he understands why Kuga spends so many of his nights on Tamakoma’s roof.   
  
The sky is different. The gleaming stars are entirely unfamiliar to him, the constellations unknown—the one called Torimaru had given him a book of star maps after the third time he had found Hyuse up here but he hasn’t opened it.   
  
Doing so felt like it would be a surrender. Working with these people is one thing, but accepting a gift?   
  
So he doesn’t know the names of the stars he sees above him. Curiosity gnaws at him but he doesn’t give in to the urge to go retrieve the book from his room in the basement; instead he makes them up in his mind, tracing the silhouette of animals into the sky with his eyes.   
  
He should sleep. Tomorrow is his induction ceremony for Border and Youtarou’s guardian is bringing him to headquarters early in the morning.   
  
He should but he can’t—though he had tried, sleep eluded him. A restless feeling not entirely unlike shame keeps him awake.   
  
Hyuse thinks of his master, of house Erin. Of the family he had sworn himself to and of their kindness. He wonders if, regardless of his success in refusing to divulge information regarding his home, they will still find him traitorous for his actions.   
  
Joining Border is the only way he can go home. It brings its own risks; he doesn’t doubt that the scarred commander will issue orders to subdue or kill him during the mission if he shows even the slightest hint of betrayal. Kuga and his captain might believe otherwise—or at least, his captain might—but Hyuse looked into those eyes and saw a willingness to do what must be done.   
  
He can respect that as much as he loathes it.   
  
Hyuse is jarred out of his thoughts by the sound of the roof door opening. He turns, expecting to see Kuga, the only other person who typically shows up this late at night.   
  
Surprisingly, it’s not him. It’s the girl—the golden goose in all her small glory, her tiny body drowning in a sweater he’s seen Konami wear.   
  
He expects her to turn and leave at the very sight of him. Instead she looks relieved, as though she had been hoping to find him, carefully closing the door behind her.   
  
He looks away, back towards the skyline. He tries not to stiffen when he hears footsteps approach behind him.   
  
“Good evening, Hyuse,” she says. Her voice is soft as always. “Do you mind if I sit with you?”   
  
“I do mind, actually,” he bites out, but shuffles slightly to the left of the bench regardless. He doesn’t want to start more trouble than necessary and he’s considering leaving the roof altogether before the girl speaks again.   
  
“I won’t bother you for long. I just wanted to talk for a moment,” she promises, smoothing out her borrowed sweater with her tiny hands as she sits next to him.   
  
Hyuse glances at her, suspicious.   
  
“It’s a bit late to have regrets about letting me join your squad,” he says warningly, but she shakes her head.   
  
“I don’t regret that. I trust Osamu and Yuuma—and I trust how much you want to go home.”   
  
That...is surprising. Not only her lack of regret, but her wording; perhaps Kuga isn’t the only one with sense.   
  
“Then what is it?” He asks, unsettled, and she purses her lips as though debating her next words.   
  
“We’re going to be working together for a while,” she finally says, and it takes a lot of willpower not to mutter _‘obviously’_ . “So there’s just one thing I want to make clear with you.”   
  
Her voice doesn’t waver, quiet as it is. Hyuse stares at her, wondering—but not for long.   
  
“My name is Amatori Chika. I’m not your golden goose.”   
  
The girl—Amatori—speaks more firmly than he’s heard from her yet. Under her kind yet uncompromising gaze he feels strangely small, something uncomfortably close to guilt stirring in his gut.   
  
Guilt and respect.   
  
“Amatori,” Hyuse concedes, her name feeling strange in his mouth. It was only a matter of time, he tells himself; he could never have remained here and gone on detaching himself from the reality that she’s a person and not a means to an end.   
  
She smiles at him, small but pleased, and he averts his gaze and looks towards the sky instead.   
  
“Thank you. I’m glad we could get that out of the way,” she says, following his gaze. “Ah. Mars is bright tonight, isn’t it?” She adds.   
  
“Mars?” He repeats before he can stop himself and she glances at him, surprised.   
  
“Yes? Um, over there,” Amatori points and in spite of himself Hyuse looks—the reddish star she’s pointing out is one he’s seen more clearly the past few nights.   
  
“It’s the smallest planet in our solar system, also called the ‘red planet’ for its color.”   
  
“Oh.” _Oh_ , is all he can say, and he curses himself for it and curses her for sharing the information; he wants to know more, wants to ask her about the others, but it’s bad enough he’s grown so close to Youtarou. He can’t engage in enjoyable conversation with _Amatori_ , whose sacrifice his people demand for the sake of their survival.   
  
Amatori’s expression falls in the face of his detachment.   
  
“S-Sorry. I did say I wouldn’t bother you for long, didn’t I? Excuse me,” she apologizes, standing and giving a small bow before she turns to leave.   
  
_Wait_ , he thinks, and doesn’t realize he’s said it aloud until she stops and turns.   
  
“Nevermind. Goodnight, Amatori,” Hyuse says. He tells himself the disappointment in her expression is a trick of the dim moonlight.   
  
“Goodnight, Hyuse. And good luck tomorrow,” she returns quietly, taking her leave. For a long moment he stares at the door after it’s shut.   
  
He lifts his head to find Mars again, red-hued and bright in the sky, and wonders how long he can keep doing this.

**Author's Note:**

> fun fact i love coffee and my username is glueskin


End file.
